WO-A-03/076078 discloses a decanter centrifuge in which wear reinforcement or wear resistance members are provided to protect the edge over which feed material flows from the inlet chamber into the separation chamber during operation of the centrifuge.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,920 discloses a decanter centrifuge having a screw conveyor built from parts bolted together. One such part is a monolithic insert constituting an inlet chamber, and bushings are providing ducts leading from the insert or inlet chamber to the separation chamber between the screw conveyor and the bowl. The insert and the bushings are preferably made from wear resistant material such as steel suited for through hardening. The insert and the bushings are relatively easily exchanged in case they are worn out by dismantling the bolted-together screw conveyor.
JP-A-9 239291 discloses a decanter centrifuge with a screw conveyor comprising an inlet chamber and longitudinal openings between the inlet chamber and the separation chamber. The inlet chamber is divided into an inlet zone and a drain zone by a septum or partition. Inside the inlet zone (and the drain zone) “inclined plane components” are provided for preventing material from depositing inside the inlet chamber. The “inclined plane components” may be made from wear resistant material or the internal surfaces thereof may comprise a layer of wear resistant material. An end wall of the inlet zone is covered by a wear resistant plate.
The present inventors have observed that during operation of a decanter centrifuge with certain feed materials wear may occur throughout the inlet chamber.